Moonchild: 2-Disc Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Release Date: USA, 1994
Director: Todd Sheets
Writer: Todd Sheets
Cast: Auggi Alvarez, Kathleen McSweeney, Julie King, Dave Miller, Kyrie King, Stefan Hilt, Cathy Metz, Carol Barta, Jody Rovick

Release Date: October 18th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"In a dystopian future, political prisoner Jacob Stryker is transformed into a werewolf super soldier by government scientists. He escapes captivity and searches for his son, who may be the messiah, and joins an army of karate kicking rebellion fighters poised to overthrow the United Nations of America. Along the way, Jacob is hunted by a group of cyborg and mutant bounty hunters as he tries to forget the bomb implanted in his stomach that's set to explode in 72 hours." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New, director supervised SD master from original tapes."

Moonchild comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.5 GB

Feature: 19.5 GB

Image clarity ranges from generally crisp to soft, colors and flesh tones look correct, and black levels are non-existent. That said, the SD source used for this transfer can only look so good.

Audio: 2.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH subtitles. Though there are some mild sibilance issues, the dialog comes through clear enough to follow and the ambient sounds are adequate.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Visual Vengeance trailer for Moonchild (59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a trailer for Bonehill a film also directed by Todd Sheets (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), music video by Descension titled Burn the Church (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a short film directed by Todd Sheets titled Sanguinary Desires (13 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), deleted ending (2 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Moonchild original VHS trailer (1 minute 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Moonchild original VHS release version (89 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original behind the scenes cast and crew interviews (9 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary titled Wolf Moon Rising: The Making of Moonchild, an audio commentary with director Todd Sheets and actor Auggi Alvarez, an audio commentary with Todd Sheets and Rob Hauschild of Visual Vengeance, reversible cover art featuring original VHS art, 'Stick your own' video store sticker sheet, a folded mini-poster, a four-page leaflet with a essay titled An American Werewolf in Kansas City written by Matt Desiderio, a limited-edition slipcover (first pressing only), and a CD with Moonchild’s soundtrack.

Other extras include trailers for Heartland of Darkness, Violent New Breed, and Zombie Rampage.

Summary:

Whereas most horror/sci-fi filmmakers only make one or two films. Todd Sheets, the director of Moonchild, has directed over fifty films and short films in a career that has spanned four decades.

One thinks of horror films when discussing SOV films. Moonchild is one of the rare forays into SOV sci-fi, which is not surprising since sci-fi requires a lot of extra work when it comes to areas like sets, costumes, and special effects. That said, Moonchild is a low-budget sci-fi film that exploits its anemic resources for all their worth.

What Moonchild lacks when it comes to resources, its premise that revolves around a werewolf and a genetically altered child whose DNA holds the key to saving humanity makes for a wild ride. And from its opening setup, Moonchild establishes good momentum that has a few lulls along the way. with a strong finale that brings everything together.

From a production standpoint, sure, there are many areas where one can call out that they have come up short, but that would be too easy. When going into a film like Moonchild, you already have a strong idea of what to expect, and anyone who is expecting more is your own fault. That said, Moonchild is the type of film that is best enjoyed if you just go along for the ride and keep your expectations low.

Moonchild is another solid release from Visual Vengeance that comes with a wealth of extras and presents the film in its best possible audio/video presentation, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer